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  1. Northern Tool
  2.   /   Learn
  3.   /   Guide to Choosing a Utility Trailer

Guide to Choosing a Utility Trailer

With loads of utility trailers on the market, picking one that meets your needs can be daunting. Let’s break that process down. We’ll start by considering the benefits of utility trailers, some different types available and the factors critical to choosing one. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already realized that a utility trailer could help significantly with your hauling needs. You might be unable to haul something because there’s not enough space for it in your car trunk, SUV interior or truck bed. You might also be reluctant to rent a hauler every time you need to move something. What you’d spend renting on even a few occasions might be better spent on a utility trailer, especially if you think you’ll need one on multiple occasions.

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Ironton trailers

Utility Trailer Advantages + Types

A utility trailer gives you much more hauling capacity and variety, convenience in loading and unloading and a secure, organized space designed specifically for transport.

Enclosed Trailers If you need to haul electrical, plumbing or carpentry tools and supplies or boutique items, you want them protected and out of view. An enclosed trailer is an ideal solution, and it can even be used as a makeshift workshop if necessary. Landscape Transport Trailers These trailers are designed for hauling tools, equipment, sod, shrubs, debris and other material for landscaping and gardening jobs. These trailers often have removable side rails for ease of loading and unloading. General-Purpose Transport Trailers in a Flatbed Style These trailers are ideal for transporting household items such as furniture and appliances or even vehicles. General-Purpose Transport Trailers with Tilt/Dump Capacity Trailers with tilt/dump capacity often include a hydraulic lift for raising the bed to dump garbage, gravel, soil and other materials. Tilt/dump capacity might be a nice-to-have feature long term, or it could be a make or break factor, depending on your needs. Tilt/dump capacity substantially eases the unloading process.

Towing Vehicle, Trailer Hitch + Trailer Compatibility

hitch adapter

Critical to picking a utility trailer is the vehicle you plan to use to haul the trailer. A first consideration is the weight capacity of your vehicle, which can be found in your vehicle owner's manual and/or on the door post of the driver’s door of your vehicle. Keep in mind that your utility trailer, its tongue and any cargo, all need to be included in the total weight you plan to tow, and that total weight must be within your vehicle’s total weight capacity. In turn, both your vehicle and trailer must be within the weight capacity of the trailer hitch you use. Trailer hitches come in 5 classes, depending on the weight they accommodate, with class 1 designed for light loads usually hauled by cars and smaller SUVs with a towing capacity up to 2,000 lbs. A class 2 hitch hauls loads up to 3,500 lbs. and can be used on most vehicle types. A class 3 hitch, with a towing capacity up to 5,000 lbs., is designed for SUVs and pickups with towing capacities up to that weight. A class 4 hitch, with a towing capacity up to 10,000 lbs., is usually used for motor homes and heavy-duty trucks. A class 5 hitch, with a towing capacity of more than 10,000 lbs., is usually used for commercial vehicles and heavy-duty trucks. The class 5 hitch is usually accompanied by other equipment such as brake controls for handling large, heavy loads safely.

trailer axle kit

Utility Trailer Axle + Suspension Systems

A trailer’s axle system is another important factor. A trailer will have either a single axle, positioned in the center, or tandem axles, with one axle positioned in front of the other. Single-axle trailers are typically lighter, easily maneuverable, and perfect for lighter loads. Tandem axles allow for improved distribution of your load, more stability and better braking performance required for heavier loads. A suspension system is designed to help absorb impact and vibration that can destabilize a utility trailer on the road. A trailer could feature one of a few different types of suspension systems, including leaf spring, torsion, or rubber torsion. Leaf spring suspension is made of stacks of durable metal strips for significant impact resistance. Torsion suspension is made of rubber cords within an axle to blunt impact, and rubber torsion suspension combines features of both the leaf and torsion systems for optimal impact resistance.